Integrating the Old and The New In Homoeopathic Practice

September 30, 2017

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– Dr Sujit Chatterjee (DHMS, FCAH)

In the past two decades newer ideas of classification of the remedy according to Kingdom and Miasm have emerged. Along with this development, an understanding of the importance of knowing the exact experience of patient in terms of Sensation has been rediscovered. This has reawakened the idea of generalization, practiced by Boenninghausen – this tenet holds that we can generalize the local sensation and that what is true of the part, is true of the whole.

Furthermore, the discovery that each remedy has the qualities of its Source has given a new dimension to our understanding of the Materia Medica. Use of this thematic understanding according to Kingdom, Subkingdom and Source information, along with Miasm, has been termed the Sensation Approach. Simply, this approach addresses the conceptual side of Homoeopathy. This method has appealed to the artistic side of many homoeopaths, and it has been used extensively.

Personally, I have found that the most consistent results come when the artistic side and the logical, traditional side are integrated. In fact, they have always been integral to one another, yet it is difficult for most practitioners to see this integration and put it into practice.

When we see this integration our prescriptions become more rounded, complete and sure. In remedies that are sufficiently well-known, a third aspect also has to be considered: the Genius– the main idea, the flavor, the essence, or the grand general of the remedy. When we use these three aspects: the Genius,Materia Medica and Repertory, and the concepts of the Sensation Approach, then we are using an integrated approach and not a fragmented one. I have found that this integration has given me the best results in thirty years of practice.

The word, ‘integrate’ means to make integral. Integral means that all the parts of a system are both interlinked and essential to its full function, to its completion. Sensation, Symptoms and Genius are the three integral parts of remedy selection, and all three are essential to its completion.

This integrated method will be illustrated through a case example.

Case of Mental Disturbance

This is a case of a 25-year-old male who I saw in 2003. The patient’s mother reported that the patient’s ex-girlfriend got engaged and the patient doesn’t believe it. He is suffering from acute depression. He became unconscious from the shocking news. During his shock, his eyes were wide open and it was with hallucinations. He was constantly hearing voice of his girlfriend.

The following rubrics were taken:

Delusion voice hears – Ignatia

A/F shock, grief acute – Ignatia

Disappointment love form – Ignatia

Remedy Chosen: Ignatia

I prescribed Ignatia 1M for two days as an acute prescription, which didn’t have any effect because it represented the local and not the global. So I called him in for a detailed history on 7th July 2003.

CONSULTATION on 7th JULY 2003

D: What is the main problem?

Patient’s Brother: Emotionally he is disturbed and that’s it. The other day his pressure was high, about180. He was kind of unconscious. He consulted some doctor and they suspected hallucination. After your medicine he was OK and even yesterday, he went for some movie also with friends.

(Patient’s brother and mother were requested to leave the room)

D: Your mother told me something about what happened. You tell me as my friend, what happened? Why do you look so serious?

P: (Patient sits with his eyes closed and his head down only) She is getting married today (deep sighing) and this is wrong. We were quite communicative with each other. None of us could take this step. People say that she is wrong but (patient sobs and weeps constantly) she was forced to get married. Now I am helpless. I cannot do anything now. For me everything is lost now. Now I am not able to do anything. When she was with me, everything was ok. Business was good. Now everything has stopped. I feel like going and talking to her parents again and convincing them to not do this.

D: You spoke to her what was her reply?

P: She was very sad. But she says now nothing can be done. (The patient weeps and sobs constantly) I will wait. She has just accepted the fact she is getting married but I can see that she is not happy. That guy (with whom she is getting married) is shorter to her. It was just because of her parents she agreed to marry him.

D: When did you come to know she is getting married?

P: This morning. I tried to meet her parents. They did not come, but I tried. I thought I’ll make her understand after her engagement. It was on Tuesday.

D: Now what thoughts are coming to you at present?

P: I can hear her voice. I can see all the days we passed together.

D: More about voice?

P: The voice says I will never leave you. I love you because of my parents, I know my priorities. I can’t stay without you. She is crying. We were together every day. I used to go to her tutoring place and pick her up, and we used to go for long drives.

D: When this is not happening what do you feel?

P: I would never be able to see her? Head is very heavy. When I sleep there is a burden on the chest. I feel I have lost senses in all parts of my body except head and eyes. I’ll be dead if these things go in my mind. Feel my head would blast. My nerves are all stretching. It goes very hot.

Comment: Here, it is important to note that he says ‘blast’ but there is no energy, no gestures.

D: Disconnected from all emotions, what is blast?

P: All my nerves break (No hand gesture). I’ll be finished.

D: Describe that sensation?

P: Pressure starts increasing. Can just only breathe in and can’t breathe out. Feel restless.

D: What is burden on me?

P: As if someone is putting loads on my chest. I feel I’ll be over in ten minutes. I’ll die in 10 minutes. Everything wants to come out and the head parts remain alive. Head is totally covered under some pressure and then it is so bad, I don’t have to worry. I’ll die.

D: What is your desire?

P: I want the Head thing to go away. I’ll die. Also, I cannot live without her I have no one to share my things with. I am alone. Everyone does not consider me. According to her I was the best. Others are quite busy with their lives.

D: What is the opposite of alone?

P: To be with her (his ex-girlfriend). Carefree. I was quite dependent on her. She knows what I like and what I don’t. I don’t worry about everyone or anyone in this world – only worry about things like business and family.

D: Dependent on her in what way?

P: I felt that if she is there with me, things are going to be right.

D: How does that feel? Any abstract thoughts?

P: If I do something, if she is there with me, things will go in the right way. If she backs out, surely things would go wrong. I have noticed this in many incidences. Business is not smooth and all problems start when she backs out.

D: She knows your business. What business?

P: I am into business of imported goods. She is not with me but when she is with me things are always perfect. When she was with me, business was going very ok. Now I have to close down business.

D: Opposite of she is not going to be with you?

P: I am nothing. I can’t do anything without her. I can’t take care of any social or family problem or business.

Comment: You can see this is not plant sensitivity. The main feeling here is “I cannot exist without her – I am not sufficient for myself. When I am alone I feel I can almost not exist.”There is a feeling of tremendous incompletenes,“I am nothing, I cannot handle anything. I cannot do anything. I am just nothing.”

This is not Ignatia where the core feeling is “I cannot take shock. I am shattered. This situation has badly affected me.”In plant cases, situations affect them and things affect them. This is not the feeling here. The global feeling in this case is ‘I feel tremendously incomplete.’ This is an example of mineral structure.

D: What about dreams?

P: I dream that we are marrying each other. I dream of getting married to her.

D: Which quality of her did you like the most? Why only she?

P: Her patience. She can control her emotions.

D: You cannot control?

P: Yes.

D: You could not run away and get married?

P: She did not want to do that.

D: Craving for food?

P: Nothing specific (the patient weeps here).

D: What was feeling when you came to know for the first time?

P: (The patient cries very loudly) I called for his brother and mother

Doctor askspatient’s brother: Describe his state when you saw him?

Patient’s Brother: When I saw him, his eyes were wide open, his hands were totally numb. I could not lift him because he was like, solid. I wanted to make him sit but it was not possible. Doctor tried pressing him to see if he can feel some sensations, but there was no reaction.

D: For the last 2 days, what is your observation, when you say he is normal in what sense?

Patient’s Brother: He is very quiet now and doesn’t talk much, if we ask something he just nods his face. At the most he says yes or no.

D: Why he wants her so much

Patient’s Mother: We don’t know. It was an inseparable relationship. He was totally dependent on her.

Patient’sBrother: He says they know each other quite well. About his nature, he is very attached to her rather to his own mother. She is very understanding. Whenever she is there his business runs successfully. He is also very sensitive, especially to dogs, cats, birds, and other pets. He has two miniature dogs.

D: What are your interests and hobbies?

Patient’s Brother: Writing and he also likes to go out with friends.

CASE ANALYSIS

Remedy Chosen:Beryllium muriaticum

On one hand the feeling is, ‘I cannot be independent, like a fetus in the womb. I cannot exist without the other’. On the other hand we see issues of care and disappointment (let down). Also, I understood it as a theme of disappointment in relationships where the separation is very difficult.

He said, “I cannot cope with work and I lost confidence.” That means, he can do at least something, whereas a Lithium patient would say, “I cannot do anything.”

He dreams that his ex-girlfriend is coming back to him. This indicates his sensitivity of not being together. Thematically, we can see that the process of separation has already begun.

In column 2 of the periodic table, there is a feeling of being at the beginning, the feeling is that there is a protective presence of the structure, like a tent, which serves the purposes only as long as condition are favorable. If things are a little bit threatening, then immediately one seeks for permanent structure.

In this case, with the support of his ex-girlfriend, he could do some business. He said, “If she is there, things are going to be right. I cannot handle anything without her.”

An understanding of Beryllium would be it is the beginning of the process of separation of the fetus from the mother, but still, the fetus overall is very connected to the source (for example, there is still a 75% connection), whereas in Lithium, the fetus is still a part of the mother. In Boron, the baby is coming out but does not want to.

Also what we understand from this case that he has very little self worth and very little ego. Very similarly, the element Beryllium has a very low atomic weight.

Follow up on 11 October 2003

D: How are you?

P: Perfectly fine. The thing with me hearing voices is totally gone. Depression is not there. Now I am working in a life insurance company as a sales manager. Feel very nice at the moment. I was a bit depressed because of the business loss. Then I got this job and feel very happy with it. Overall it’s very good.

D: Tell me about the good feeling.

P: The experience when I was going through the trauma was that, “I have lost everything.” I was not able to analyze what was good or what was bad. Family members used to tell me that my girl was bad, and I used to feel that they were bad. After a period of time I felt my family was much better and I have got better friends. I lost her, but it is nothing for me now.

D: How is your confidence?

P: My confidence has boosted a lot.

TREATMENT PLAN: Wait.

Follow-up November, 20, 2004

D: How are you?

P: Perfectly fine. Life is excellent and I am busy with work. I got 3 promotions in the last 8 months. I am more focused with my business and am aiming to become the Branch Manager in another 2 months.

D: What are your hobbies?

P: Music, I love to play guitar and I love traveling. I try to play with the strings. Any song I like, I can pick it up on guitar. This hobby I cultivated myself. I also like to go out with friends.

TREATMENT PLAN: Wait

About :-

Dr. Sujit Chatterjee (DHMS, FCAH)

He is a classical homoeopath practicing in Mumbai for last 32 years; renowned for having successfully treated many cancer and pathological cases homoeopathically. Dr. Chatterjee has also been instrumental in the field of research by conducting provings of homoeopathic remedies. He is also a visiting consultant at BAPS Yogiji Maharaj Hospital, Ahmedabad, where he provides his expert opinion on treating complex casesat the hospital. Qualities like humility and utmost dedication to patient care have won him the love andrespect of his patients and colleagues alike.